Trade Show Booths: A Perspective, Part 2

Form consists of:
• elements of design such as shape, color, and graphics that attract, inform, and engage the customer
• consistency and coherence of the message the exhibit portrays of the company’s identity and offerings
• serviceability to the extent that form enhances the services the presentation offers

Serviceability comprises
• traffic flow through and about the booth
• product displays for ready demonstration and literature racks for accessible information
• accessories such as kiosks, chairs, presentation screens, semi-private negotiating areas, etc. accommodate the engagement in an upbeat and comfortable manner
• storage and disposal options to maintain appearance

Properly considered, the form and serviceability of exhibit booths enhance the success of participation in trade shows. No exhibitor should seek a cheap booth for the sake of being thrifty – nor an expensive one for show. In the end, the best trade show exhibits are ones that project a clear message and accommodate the needs of the company for which they are designed.

Trade Show Booth Options

Trade show exhibits can be completely custom-made or purchased as kits with customized components such as portable panels or screens and a wheeled case for transportation. Some trade show organizers offer booth rental, and for some businesses, this is an attractive option. Most companies, however, purchase a display from a third party supplier.

Portable panel kits provide for convenient transport to and set up at the show venue. These are available in tabletop sizes or in larger sizes ranging from those with a 10 ft back wall to those with a 20 ft backwall. These assemble with ease and offer replaceable panel displays that can be customized and updated with high impact graphics. The kits often contain lighting, counters, and accessories suited to travel, as well as carpet flooring and a protective carpet bag, all of which pack away into shipping cases. In some kits utilize a case to-counter conversion for efficiency.

Modular booth kits of the link-and-panel or pop-up frame type provide the maximum in ease and impact. Link-and-panel kits can be readily customized to accommodate different space requirements. Pop-up displays are very portable with lightweight frames or tension rods that hold fabric into space-defining shapes. Such custom modular displays offer endless options and usually fit in a convenient shipping case. New pop-up displays present exhibitors with customization and affordability.

Truss-style kits are a step up in style and impact. They offer more complete and flexible environments to attract and engage customers. The truss frames are visibly attractive and provide the visual counterpoint to lightweight graphic panels and display or work surfaces. Configurations allow for an open environment with multiple access and faces to make the most use of any type of show floor space available. These usually involve freight shipping costs and fees for crews to set up at the venue.

The custom designed booth is the granddaddy of all trade show displays and is the right choice for many companies. Costs are a major consideration, but when weighed against the business potential some trade shows represent, a custom design may be a justified use of marketing resources. Such trade show exhibits involve booth designers and fabrication teams but offer many of the same modular and replaceable components of their humble cousins. What they offer in addition are the signature looks and messages that project a company’s brand forward across the exhibition hall.

Continued in Part 3 > >